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Innovative Building Materials: Design, Properties and Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 1296

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, UFV—Federal University of Viçosa, Rio Paranaíba Campus, Rodovia BR 230 KM 7, Rio Paranaiba 38810-000, Brazil
Interests: geopolymers; mortar; portland cement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Innovative building materials have been a constant search in Materials Science, due to the importance of the construction sector for technological advancement. The exhaustive use of natural resources to produce binders and other materials, the extensive release of greenhouse gasses, and high energy expenditure contribute to the urgency of developing sustainable construction materials.

Exemplifying the problem is the production of Portland cement, used in concrete and mortars. This is one of the materials most used by humanity, second only to water, whose production consumes a high amount of natural resources, such as limestone, clay, and sand. Furthermore, the production of Porltand cement is responsible for the emission of 630–800 kg of CO2/tons of Portland cement, due to the use of fuels and due to the decarbonation of limestone.

Other building materials also present alarming environmental problems. This is the case with the intensive use of aggregates, such as natural sand and crushed stones; the use of asphalt and bituminous materials for paving and waterproofing, from petrochemical industries; the use of steel products, responsible for the generation of different types of slag from material processing; ceramic products, used in blocks and tiles, which consume available natural clay reserves; and the use of synthetic fibers, such as glass, carbon, and steel, used to reinforce cementitious composites. Through this information, the importance of this Special Issue, “Innovative Building Materials: Design, Properties and Applications”, becomes clear.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Development of alternative and eco-friendly binders;
  • Study of additional cementitious materials and pozzolans;
  • Analysis of geopolymers and activated alkali materials with ecological potential;
  • Characterization and application of recycled aggregates in cementitious materials;
  • Cementitious and polymeric composites with natural lignocellulosic fibers;
  • Characterization and application of waste in ceramic materials;
  • Studies of alternative and ecological asphalt and bituminous materials;
  • Application of waste and slags in construction materials;
  • Life cycle analysis of sustainable construction materials;
  • Circular economy analysis of sustainable construction materials.

Prof. Dr. Markssuel Teixeira Marvila
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • sustainability
  • Portland cement
  • pozzolans
  • geopolymers
  • natural fibers
  • ceramic materials
  • wastes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 7505 KiB  
Article
Investigations on an Ancient Mortar from Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa Archaeological Site, Romania
by Zeno Dorian Ghizdavet, Corina Anca Simion, Anton Ficai, Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea, Radu Claudiu Fierascu, Maria Loredana Marin, Doina-Roxana Trușcă, Vasile-Adrian Surdu, Ludmila Motelica, Iuliana Madalina Stanciu, Alexandru Razvan Petre and Ileana Radulescu
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5780; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105780 - 21 May 2025
Abstract
A fragment of mortar from the pedestal ruin belonging to the central statue in Forum Vetus, Ulpia Traiana archaeological site, Romania, was investigated. The ruin is well-documented and unrestored, and radiocarbon dating was deemed suitable to determine its moment of construction. Preliminary analyses [...] Read more.
A fragment of mortar from the pedestal ruin belonging to the central statue in Forum Vetus, Ulpia Traiana archaeological site, Romania, was investigated. The ruin is well-documented and unrestored, and radiocarbon dating was deemed suitable to determine its moment of construction. Preliminary analyses were used to establish the composition of the material and the sources of carbon-14, selecting the most reliable fraction for radiocarbon dating by the AMS method. Although sampling was carried out according to the recommendations, a younger apparent age was obtained than that expected. This is in fact a concrete-like mortar according to the analyses, and the phenomenon of delayed hardening of mortar in masonry was detected. The difference between the real and apparent ages quantifies this phenomenon. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetric analysis, and gamma spectrometry were used. Pyrogenic calcium carbonate and carbonates from calcium silicate/calcium aluminate hydrates were the only forms present in mini-nodules/lumps. The reactivation of binder calcite or geogenic calcite, the other problems encountered when dating mortars, were not spotted. This case study highlights the limitations of the radiocarbon dating method, and we introduce gamma spectrometry as a technique for additional investigations into direct exposure to the environment or the origins of raw materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Building Materials: Design, Properties and Applications)
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16 pages, 4055 KiB  
Article
Innovative Cementitious Composites Produced with Corn Straw Fiber: Effect of the Alkaline Treatments
by Thiago Ranilson Caixeta Silva, Luiz Arthur Silva de Aquino, Leonardo Carvalho Mesquita, Marília Gonçalves Marques, Afonso Rangel Garcez de Azevedo and Markssuel Teixeira Marvila
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(23), 11117; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142311117 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 834
Abstract
Recently, numerous studies have been carried out with natural fibers in cementitious composites, due to the viability of using this type of fiber as a substitute for synthetic fibers. In this field of study, the present research aims to evaluate the feasibility of [...] Read more.
Recently, numerous studies have been carried out with natural fibers in cementitious composites, due to the viability of using this type of fiber as a substitute for synthetic fibers. In this field of study, the present research aims to evaluate the feasibility of using corn straw fiber for the production of innovative cementitious composites. Mortars with a composition of 1:1:6:1.55 (cement/lime/sand/water) containing 0, 2.5 and 5% corn straw fiber were produced. The corn straw fibers were treated with three different alkaline products: sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). The compositions were evaluated by means of compressive strength, water absorption, density and porosity and consistency tests. Characterization tests were also carried out on the natural fibers subjected to the different treatments, where it was observed that chemical characterization revealed an increase in crystalline cellulose from 59.03% to 63.50% (NaOH), 62.41% (KOH) and 60.40% (Ca(OH)2), which enhances fiber strength. In the mortars, it was observed that the water absorption results were reduced when the alkaline treatments were used, reducing from 15.95% (composition without fibers) to 6.34% and 6.61% in the compositions with 2.5% and 5.0% of fibers treated with KOH, for example. The effects were also positive in the compositions with fibers treated in NaOH, where the water absorption values were 7.59% and 7.88% for the compositions containing 2.5% and 5.0% of treated fiber, respectively. Alkaline treatments also promote an increase in compressive strength when comparing the results of mortars with natural fibers and fibers treated with NaOH, for example. The result for mortars containing 5.0% untreated fibers was 0.22 MPa, while for the composition containing 5.0% fibers treated with NaOH, it was 3.79 MPa, an increase of more than 15x. This behavior is justified by the effect of the treatment, which, in addition to removing impurities from natural fibers, such as sugar, increases the crystalline cellulose content and the adhesion between fiber and matrix. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to conclude that (i) the treatment with NaOH increases the crystallinity and tensile strength of the fibers, promoting good properties for innovative cementitious composites; (ii) the treatment with KOH degrades the cellulose structure of the fiber, reducing the crystallinity and tensile strength; this promotes greater adhesion of the fiber to the matrix, reducing porosity and water absorption, but promotes a reduction in compressive strength when compared to composites with 2.5% natural fiber; and (iii) the treatment with Ca(OH)2 presents a reduction in water absorption and porosity, due to the impregnation of calcium in the fiber that improves the adhesion between fiber and matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Building Materials: Design, Properties and Applications)
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